Last Minute Drama Engulfs MAG Team

The new team...

Valentina announced that coaches made a last minute change to the men's team, replacing European Games bronze medalist, Nikita Ignatyev, with Ivan Stretovich, the first alternate. Stretovich doesn't have any experience competing at the world level since his induction into the senior ranks has consistently left him in the alternate position, but Valentina insists Ivan has been better in training than Nikita, upon arrival in Rio. I didn't think these two men had the same strengths in a TF so I assumed every member was safe from replacement. However, Ivan has been looking good in 2016 and a lot stronger than Nikita since the Russian Cup. He won three golds in EF's (two of them on Nikita's strong events: PB, HB) while Nikita failed to even qualify for the PB final and had a fall on HB. Ivan also beat Nikita in a private competition at RL a few days before leaving for Rio. It seems this is case of Stretovich unlocking his potential and peaking at the right time, while Nikita probably looks okay but not super impressive. To be honest, using results from the Cup and pre-Rio training, Ivan should've been named to the Olympic team the first time around! But perhaps the thought was to go conservative with tried and tested competitors, a strategy that worked well at '16 Euros, where the team won with a score that would've had them crowned 2015 World champions. Ivan might be looking more impressive but with such a temperamental team, can Russia afford to bank on youth or is this the perfect time to take risks for reward?

Of course, it isn't Russia if there's not more to the story...

Nikita's family has exploded with accusations of sabotage and treachery on VK, accusing Belyavskiy and Nagorny (and coaches) of betraying their family member. 

Nikita's mom: "I want to ask Nagornyy & Belyavskiy: why did you betray Nikita? Why did you betray a person who defended Russia with you all these years? Why have you arranged infamous sparring between Ivan and Nikita on [the basis of] 3 apparatuses but not on 6? You specifically chose losing variety with him! You with coaches are like a pack of jackals, pouncing on him, knowing that no one could protect him! This is the second Olympic Games where Nikita won’t compete! You know, only God can judge you! But I wouldn’t go in the exploration of these two persons. I wish you all good health, guys."

Nikita's brother: "Nikita didn’t go to London, though he was the absolute champion (AA) of Russia. I have nothing against guys, but it is despicable. This is not a sports principle. Nikita and Igor (Pakhomenko) drew lots before the Olympics in London. While the leadership remains as they are (the Rodionenko's), nothing will change."

The depth of their vitriol and the audacity to be so public about it makes me think that Nikita must not at all be taking the news very well himself and is HIGHLY upset over there in Rio. His mother says that the gulf between them was not large enough to disqualify Nikita, and that Ivan always performs worse in international competitions which is why the team has always depended on her son. Her specifically singling out two team members implies she is presumably getting this account from Nikita, and knows more than we do about why they are supposedly to blame. If she is saying Nikita was betrayed, then that's a reflection of how Nikita is feeling. How awkward for everyone...

His family promises they have more to divulge. Soon.